Brewster Buffalo BW-367 #7 'Tre Bröder'....

Lucky13 · Oct 19, 2016

Did the BW-367 see combat in this 'clean' scheme, with the name or was repainted first and did they reapply the name on her?
If I remember correctly, I think that it was three Swedish brothers, that donated money to the cause and possibly this airframe....

Tempted to get the Tamiya 1/48 kit for this one....

Lucky13 · Oct 19, 2016

Lucky13 · Oct 19, 2016

Wurger · Oct 19, 2016

According to a reference the shot of the silver BW-367 with the founder's name was taken at the Tampere on September 13, 1940 . It seems that the image was taken while servicing with the LeLv 22 or was ready for transferring to the LeLv. 24.. The another two shots of the kite are dated on early July and early August 1941 while servicing with the 2/LeLv. 24 at the Rantasalmi. At that time the plane was already wearing the camo uniform without the founder's inscription. The pic taken in the July shows the plane with the white 7 on the rudder while the one of the August presents her with the number there and the squadron emblem on the fuselage. Also I've seen a profile of the silver BW-367 with the name painted and captioned that she was servicing with the LeLv. 24 at Malmi in June 1940, no number 7 on the rudder. The next pic of the plane taken at the Sullajarvi is dated on November 1942 while servicing with the 4/Lelv. 24. In that time there was white rudder with black number 6. Of course she was painted with the camo and yellow quick ID markings. Also there were emblems on the fin and the fusealge.
So.. if there was any combat for both LeLv.22 and 24 between 13.09.1940 and the time she got the camo in the LeLv. 24 it could have seen that. Personally I doubt. The struggling at the front ended on March 13 1940 and the LeLv. 22 was cancelled soon. The list below shows that the Buffalo came the squadron on March 21, 1940. So.. it was after the ceasefire. Then there was a year of piece as memo serves. When the war there was resumed she was wearing the camo I would say.

Here is the service path of the a/c in the Finnish AF. However it seems there is a mistake for the 3/LeLv. 24 record. I would say there should be the 4/LeLv. 24.

buffnut453 · Oct 19, 2016

I'd be surprised if the aircraft scored any kills while in silver finish. Brewsters were not used operationally during the Winter War. Their combat history commenced with the Continuation War which only started on 25 June 1941. I'd be surprised if any Brewsters were still in silver finish at that time.

le_steph40 · Oct 22, 2016

Jan,
Here is BW-367 early in July 1941

And later during the same month...

Before 20 June 1941, she was painted overall with aluminium lacquer. Only the uppersurfaces were camouflaged. The light blue DN-colour (close to RLM65 colour) was applied during 1943 for BW-367 (early for some B-239 and later for others). HTH helps
Stéph

Capt. Vick · Nov 5, 2016

Does this help at all?

Wurger · Nov 6, 2016

Yep.. the silver camo is typical for the initial service in Finland. What is more the white discs at the locations of the national markings are characteristic for their transferring from Sweden to Finland in 1940.

Capt. Vick · Nov 6, 2016

So somewhere out there are pictures of buffalo's with Swedish Markings? Oh, we must find them!

Wurger · Nov 6, 2016

I don't think there were the Swedish markings applied. These white disks were painted just to obey the Swedish regulations while ferrying the aircraft to Finland.